Toxic smog lingers as air quality stays very poor

Delhi on Wednesday continued to inhale toxic air as smog persisted across the Capital, with air quality falling in the ‘very poor’ category, slightly improving from the day before. The forecasts, meanwhile, predict the air quality to oscillate between ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories in the coming days.

It is likely to remain in either of the two categories over the next six days, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi. Delhi’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 334 at 4 pm on Wednesday, improving from 354 on Tuesday, data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) showed.

The pollution levels were significantly worse over the weekend, when AQI readings crossed the 400 mark and fell in the ‘severe’ category on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Of the 39 active air quality monitoring stations in the city, 29 recorded ‘very poor’ air quality, while the remaining stations reported ‘poor’ levels, according to the CPCB’s Sameer app. ITO recorded the highest AQI at 378, while IGI Airport registered the lowest reading at 258, both falling in the ‘poor’ category. According to the CPCB, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’ and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

Data from the Decision Support System for Air Quality Management showed that transport contributed 16.3 per cent to Delhi’s pollution on Wednesday, up from 11.95 per cent a day earlier.

Industries within Delhi and its peripheral areas accounted for 8 per cent, neighbouring Jhajjar contributed 16.5 per cent, while other sources together formed the largest share at 34.3 per cent. Transport-related emissions are projected to rise further to 17.4 per cent on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 10.4 degrees Celsius, which was 2.3 degrees below normal, while the maximum temperature settled at 24.7 degrees Celsius, 2.5 degrees above normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Humidity levels ranged between 68 and 100 per cent during the day. The weather office has forecast moderate fog for Thursday, with maximum and minimum temperatures expected to hover around 23 degrees Celsius and 9 degrees Celsius, respectively.